When I heard the rumour that there is a new shop on Cleveland Street in Surry Hills devoted to the caramel apple, my taste buds started tingling. Being an American, caramel apples bring back many yummy memories of this iconic treat.
I called the shop named Love Dem Apples, late on Thursday night afraid that they might already be closed, only to be pleasantly informed that they stay open till 10pm on all nights except Sunday.
My friend and I, arrived shortly thereafter and were transfixed by the variety of gourmet caramel apples on display in the window. Which one would I try first? Once we entered the shop, we were greeted by a friendly staff member who promptly offered us samples of his apple delights. He told us they made all the caramel apples on site and showed us the big kettle where the caramel dipping was done.
Decisions, decisions...there were caramel apples rolled in either peanuts, walnuts, 'Oreo' cookies, pretzels, chocolate, coconuts and other mouth watering varieties. Some of the gourmet apples include; cheesecake, 'Bounty,' 'Tim Tam' and 'Picnic.' My friend and I both chose the 'Picnic.' It was just like a 'Picnic' candy bar, in that the apple was dipped in caramel, rolled in peanuts and drizzled with chocolate.
We were asked if we wanted our apples cut up to eat, in case we didn't want to eat them right off the stick. There are a few seats in the shop if we wanted to eat there, but I decided to have my apple wrapped for takeaway and enjoy it later at home.
Once at home, I could not wait to dig in. Half the apple I cut up and the other half I ate off the stick. The Granny Smith apple was crisp and refreshing to bite into, with surprisingly few seeds. The soft caramel coating was sweet and the peanuts were generously abundant and topped with a nice drizzle of chocolate for good measure. What I really enjoyed afterward was that despite the size of my dessert, I did not feel guilty or overly full as I sometimes do post dessert.
All in all, try Love Dem Apples next time you feel like something sweet or a late night treat. I certainly will be back and often. The caramel apples range in price from $8 to $13 and would make great dessert ideas for parties or even a wedding with a caramel twist.
